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Bahrain-based golf course expert Matthew Perry will be walking in the same footprints as Tiger Woods and Colin Montgomerie next month having been selected to be a member of the British and International Golf Greenkeeper Association's Open Championship Support Team at Turnberry in Scotland.
As a member of the 60-strong team, comprising greenkeepers from all over the world, Perry, who is deputy golf course superintendent at the Royal Golf Club, will assist Turnberry's own greenkeeping team with preparation of the golf course as well as walking with one of the matches each day to rake any bunkers that the players visit.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for me to see how a top golf course is prepared for an Open Championship while, at the same time, seeing the best players in the world from inside the ropes," said 29-year old Perry who has worked in Bahrain for three years, firstly on the former Riffa Golf Club's course and then throughout the construction and grow-in of the 27 new holes of the Royal Golf Club.
"We are delighted to have Matthew on the BIGGA Support Team. The team is funded by the R&A who organise the Open Championship and the work it carries out is extremely important in the smooth running of the week, particularly if the weather happens to be bad," said Scott MacCallum, of BIGGA.
"I can't wait to get to Turnberry and I'm sure it will be an experience I'll remember for the rest of my life," said Perry.
"I will be assigned to accompany one group of players throughout the tournament - I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that Tiger Woods, my all time favourite golfer, will be included in my group!"
